It hardly seems like much at first. To speak Tex-Mex or Spanglish is to choose to live in two worlds. Already, 60 percent of the people of San Antonio are Mexican American, an easy majority. Dan Solomon writes about politics, music, food, sports, criminal justice, health care, film, and business. This Tex-Mex cafe is owned by Cynthia and Lidia Perez, Henry Cisneross sisters-in-law, who are unabashedly bluer than the Danube, but the crowd of lawmakers and lobbyists and lawyers and media blowhards who gather here is absolutely bipartisan; Karen Hughes and Karl Rove, among others, were semi-regulars back in the day. Shes lucky. Only recently did I realize that what he was checking on had very little to do with farming. Sure we are. She attended college in the Houston area and changed her major twice (psychology, computer science, and finally criminal justice) before taking a leap of faith and dropping out to pursue a career in freelance writing. Romantic quandary? Mimi Swartz, 52. There are many buildings, cities, and natural wonders that tell a cool story. In the end, though, the only thing that matters is that because of what happened here, Texas is a state that was onceand alwaysa nation, and that makes all the difference. It's a Texas thing and y'all wouldn't understand. Shes a couple sandwiches shy of a picnic. Photograph by Heather Leiphart/AP/Odessa American. Inside, one sees why: Intricate designs in wood parquetry embellish every surface. Someone doesnt merely dieshe opens herself up a worm farm. Or goat barbecue? Suzy Banks, 61. I have personally eaten or seen nachos made with (not all at once, mind you) lobster tail, feta cheese, portobello mushrooms, fried oysters, crme frache, beef fajitas, caviar, hummus, hoisin sauce, crabmeat, Napa cabbage, barbecue sauce, boiled shrimp, chipotle mayonnaise, soy sauce, chili, and tofuwhew! And because not once in its eighty years has anyone ever dropped a frozen meat patty on the grill. Evan Smith, 16. And absolutely the dry-Jack-cheese-crusted lemon sole with citrus beurre blanc at Hibiscus, in Dallas. Then relax and take in the crowd, which includes biker clubs and classic-car enthusiasts. When he won a Golden Globe for Brokeback Mountain a few months back, someone who introduced him called him a genius; the camera happened to land on Johnny Depp, whose nostrils flared to contain his yawn. "Y'all" vs. "All y'all" The first thing you need to learn if you're "fixin' tuh" speak Texan is the proper use of the 2. Dog Canyon Campground, Guadalupe Mountains National ParkThis place is so remote you cant even drive to it from Texas. For example, Texas natives often say they are fixin ta do something or are fixin to go.. (the hogs ate Sister; the legs fell off Nells hamster). Try using one of these, and your spirits will rise like a corncob in a cistern. Allexcept maybe the salamandersstare into the clear, green depths, test the temperature with a toe (even though everyone knows its always 68 degrees), shudder, then take the plunge into the heart-stopping chill, trying to absorb a smidgen of the irrefutable grace of this place. Still, my father would ask me to ride out with him to check on things; if there was trouble or concern, he would insist. From the scenic viewpoint at the crest, the Rio Grande lies a thousand feet below, and Mexico is so close you might be tempted to throw a rock into it. 1. It West Texas Dandies ride their horses into Buck Jackson Arena during the West of the Pecos Rodeo parade Wednesday, June 22, 2016 in Pecos, Texas. It became the 28th state of the union in 1845. Ive tried too many to count, finally settling on something simple: coffee and Heath Bar, small. Just curious what the responses will be. By serving better-than-passable food and booze before and during whatevers showing and by perfecting an indie sensibility thats evident not only in whats playing (a mix of art house fare and Hollywood must-sees) but whats playing before the show (archival video, hip cartoons, trailers for movies that were released decades ago), the Alamo has won fans on this coast as well as the other two, including the editors of Entertainment Weekly, who christened it the best theater in America. My favorite Alamo-ism: the on-screen admonition before every show that patrons should keep their mouths closed and their cell phone ringers off or well take your ass out. Lets see the theater in the mall try that. .) For example: Who else thinks we're just "Nice Here are 14 unique phrases to Texas and the Metroplex. Its a privilege of youth. The film tanked at the box office but soon found a home in frat-house VCRs. John Spong, 68. Or make me regret that I quit smoking. The Astrodome put Houston on the map. Fixin ta: This means someone is about to do something. Patricia Sharpe, 12. He couldnt find his butt with a flashlight in each hand. I was in Colorado and New York and my breathing and allergies were fine. From Texas trademarks to personal favorites to the just plain weird, youll find everything here. Although Texas A&M is rooted in tradition, its by no means stuck there. Alphabetical-All Subject & Themed Puzzles, Account, Adventure(r), Alamo, Alliance, Ambush, Annexation, Attack, Bandits, Bare necessities, Barefoot, Battle Cry, Beads, Beset, Blockade, Bluff, Boots, Boundaries, Branding, Brave, Bronco, Buffalo, Cabin, Caddo Indians, Captive, Cattle, Cattle Drive, Challenges, Chaps, Chicano, Claim, Clash, Coast, Colony, Combative, Confederacy, Conflict, Contribution, Corral, Cotton, Courage, Cowboy, Cowboy Boots, Cowboy Hat, Critters, Crockett, Crops, Culture, Danger, Davy, Decimate, Defeat, Defender, Defense, Defenseless, Destructive, Difficulties, Discovery, Downstream, Dreams, Earth, Elevation, Empresarios, Encounter, Encroachment, Endeavor, Endure, Energy, Enforcement, Exhaustion, Expanse, Expectation, Expedition, Experience, Exploration, Explore, Exultation, Farming, Farms, Fatigue, Fertile, Fierce, Fiesta, Fighting, Forests, Forge, Fort, Foster, Freedom, Friendships, Frontier, Frontiersmen, Habitat, Hardy, Harsh, Haul, Herd, Hero, Hides, Hike, Hillside, Historic, Homestead, Horseback, Horses, Hospitable, Hostility, Hunger, Hunt, Illusion, Imagination, Immigrant, Immune, Impassable, Incident, Independence, Indians, Indigenous, Individual, Industrious, Influence, Ingenuity, Inhabitant, Injury, Insistence, Intercept, Interpretation, Intrepid, Irrigate, Isolation, Killing, Kin, Kindred, King Ranch, Knives, Land, Land-grant, Landscape, Large, Launch, Leader, Legacy, Limitations, Livestock, Locality, Lodging, Lone, Longhorns, Loss, Lucky, Manufacturing, Map, March, Massacre, Maverick, Maximize, Mexico, Migrant, Minerals, Mining, Miscreant, Mission, Missions, Misstep, Misunderstanding, Mosquitoes, Motivation, Oil, Oil Field, Opportunity, Oppressive, Opt, Optimism, Outbreak, Outcropping, Outdoorsman, Outpost, Painstaking, Panhandle, Perilous, Perseverance, Petroleum, Plains, Possession, Preparations, Prevention, Pristine, Protection, Provisions, Radicals, Raid, Railroads, Range, Rebellion, Record, Recovery, Recruit, Reload, Remote, Repellent, Republic, Resilient, Resistance, Resources, Retreat, Revere, Revolution, Rifle, Rio Grande, Risk, Role, Rope, Rot, Route, Rugged, Rural, Rush, Sage, Seize, Settlements, Settler, Significant, Site, Skirmish, Soil, Span, Spanish, Specimen, Spirit, Stages, Stamina, Star, Stare-down, State Fair, Strategy, Strength, Strong, Supper, Supplies, Survey, Survival, Sustain, Sustenance, Symptoms, Tejas, Ten-Gallon hat, Tension, Tepee, Territory, Terror, Test(ing), Texas Rangers, Ticks, Tidelands, Toil, Tomahawk, Trace, Traders, Trading post, Trail, Trapper, Travelers, Traverse, Trek, Tribes, Trust, Ultimate, Unbelievable, Understanding, Unfamiliar, Union, Unite, Unpopulated, Unrest, Unusual, Urgent, Valiant, Valor, Vanquish, Vaquero, Venison, Vicious, View, Village, Violation, Violence, Virus, Vital, Wagon, Waive, Walking, Wander, Waylay, Wealth, Weary, Westward, Wince, Work, Wounds. On the first episode, that beloved good-ol-boy Texas contestant, Colby Donaldson, proudly announced that he had brought along to the Australian Outbackas his one allotted luxury item, mind youa Texas flag. Waggoner Ranch (524,000 acres). But this saying conveys the extreme auspiciousness of a four-star fortunate. The Fort Worth Cultural DistrictIt says something when the Amon Carter Museum, designed by the most attention-grabbing architect of the past century, the late Philip Johnson, is often overlooked among Fort Worths closely spaced trio of world-class (really) art museums. WebHouston in 25 Words Touted as one of the best cities in the country to live, work and play, Houston is a thriving urban metropolis that supports some of the most vivid cultural, art Hes so ugly his cooties have to close their eyes. Personage With Birds and Untitled, by Joan Mir, HoustonWalk into the Menil Collection, continue back into the galleries of twentieth-century works, and you will find yourself in my favorite place in Texas: standing in front of Untitled, a painting by Joan Mir. James Riely Gordon is the most prolific architect; his masterpiece is in Waxahachie. Not just women are targeted in such zingers: A similar remark for a man is Hell take up with any hound thatll hunt. Obviously, when it comes to Texas talk, immorality is fertile ground. Paul Burka, 54. Texas is known for its fastballers: Clemens, Ryan, Street. While the Common Application requires a 650-word essay, ApplyTexas requirements vary. San JacintoOkay, lets admit it. It looks like a planet circling too close to its sun. But not by itself, and not with anything else. If brains were leather, he couldnt saddle a flea. Plus, the fact that there was snow. Texas has four seasons: drought, flood, blizzard, and twister. Duh. So low hed steal the nickels off a dead mans eyes. Mimi Swartz, 6. The ringing of those bells reminds me that three centuries ago Texas was a small, rebellious Mexican province and in some ways still is. Code switchers know when to speak what language to whom, and only in an insignificant number of cases do they resort to mixing because they cant express their idea in one tongue. The battlefield is not evocative, and the battle itself is hard to envision. And then, in just a few weeks, the show is over. Barton Springs Pool, AustinIts only rocks and waterjust as the Hope Diamond is only squeezed carbon and the Mona Lisa is only oil paint on wood. 1. And when he received his Oscar in March for best adapted screenplay, he wore jeans and boots. ], 37. Emily McCullar is a senior editor covering pop culture, news, and Texas history. We're cooler than you. Outside of work, you can likely find her curled up on the sofa with a hot cup of coffee, watching a crime TV show or scary movie. E. E. Cummingss artwork. For years, I never got one of them right; when I finally did, it no longer mattered. Or the Don Mamn salmon ceviche at Red Onion Seafood y Ms, in Houston. . It never fails to put me in a good mood. We're cooler than you. (Wasnt the murderer really aiming for his estranged wife?) It was the manifestation of a Texas attitude that we could do something that everyone else thought impossible. This is the beauty of the crushn. At any of the thirteen Amys locations throughout Austin, San Antonio, and Houston, you can combine your choice of (a) ice cream with your choice of (b) fixings to create an endless number of personal variations. Sixty-five miles of New Mexico byway brings youonly justback across the state line into a forested canyon hidden high in the Guadalupe Mountains. My allergies are bad with this Texas weather. After you spend time watching the animals, head to the on-site restaurant and enjoy a delicious meal. When my family has a few spare days, we sneak over to New Braunfels and (mostly) ignore the insanity of Schlitterbahn, preferring instead a cottage at the Other Place. You probably guessed those. You can be right on top of a covey and not know it. No problem. Up and down the steep, curving lanes, you can visit Cooleys, Mastersons, Cullinans, and that great society florist of the eighties, Leonard Tharp, all laid to rest under breathtaking live oaks and bountiful magnolias. Timidity is not an attribute many Texans would care to claim, but perhaps the very rarity of that quality makes it saying-worthy. Paul Burka, 43. I know, I know. The Central Texas Wing of the Commemorative Air Force sponsors this annual shindig around Veterans Day in a forties-era hangar at the San Marcos Municipal Airport to honor the Greatest Generation, and I know of no better way to pay your respects than with a Lindy Hop with an eighty-year-old pilot. Suzy Banks, 11. If I felt any better, Id drop my harp plumb through the cloud. Its hot as the hinges of hell; hot as a two-dollar pistol; hot as a stolen tamale. Stock tips? But because shes left-handed and will have a short careerprospects for a post-collegiate league are not bright, and the sport wont be in the Olympics after 2008I liken her to Sandy Koufax. Charlie Llewellin, 67. Booker Ervins version of Berkshire BluesA classic cut by the late, great tenor saxophonist, who hailed from Denison. Expressions for stupid are the second most common in Texas lore. Larry McMurtryFor Horseman, Pass By and The Last Picture Show and his debunking of J. Frank Dobiesimply because he was ornery and talented and he could. If dumb was dirt, hed cover about an acre. We report on vital issues from politics to education and are the indispensable authority on the Texas scene, covering everything from music to cultural events with insightful recommendations. WebAdjectives for Texas | Words to describe Texas 1. Pride of placeI will never forget the horror I felt watching the second season of Survivor. Dublin Dr Pepper, a soft drink of cult status. In three words, describe Texas. Mimi Swartz, 47. She could sit on the fence and the birds would feed her. Brian D. Sweany, 30. Another great saying tied to Texas love of the land. Lake Whitney is the perfect place to get away from the bustle of city life. But notions of Texas and largenessfreedom to roam and aspire, in an almost metaphysical wayremain synonymous in much of the world. On holiday weekends at North Island, hundreds of boats are tied together. The men wrap and whirl their ladies.